Free State High baseball coach Mike Hill knew exactly what he was witnessing with the Lawrence Outlaws on Friday at the Lawrence Invitational.

After just one game – 75 minutes, to be exact – Hill went to right field to laud Outlaws coach Brad Romme on what he had just seen: “clean” baseball.

After 9-0 and 8-0 run-rule victories over Shawnee Mission East and Lansing at Free State, Romme couldn’t think of any better words to summarize his team’s day.

“That’s the best way to describe it,” Romme said. “I think they came to the yard today locked in and ready to go, and it showed.”

Winless heading into the weekend tournament, the Outlaws looked anything but in the blowout victories. The team especially received a lift on the mound – impressive performances from Nick Ayre and Kyle Cross.

Ayre started game one and allowed only one runner to reach second base in the complete-game shutout, striking out three and walking just one.

Meanwhile, the Outlaws committed just one error behind him, helping the starter find and keep a rhythm.

“I’m just trying to throw strikes and everyone else is making plays,” Ayre said. “It’s pretty easy to pitch when they do that.”

• 6Sports video: Outlaws rout Lansing (06-16-05)

The Outlaws scored their first four runs without the benefit of a hit before exploding in the fourth. Travis Ice, Ben Wilson, and Matt Ertmer each doubled in a five-run attack, setting up the run-rule in the fifth.

Cross followed with a similar pitching performance in game two after feeling strong in his pregame bullpen session.

“I knew if I could just keep throwing strikes the whole game,” Cross said, “they would get themselves out with ground balls and pop-ups.”

The Outlaws will rise again early today for a 10 a.m. matchup against Olathe East and a 12:30 p.m. contest with Topeka #74.